Terms and Conditioner
The locker room smells like sweat and cheap shampoo.
Practice ran late again—Coach wasn’t messing around this week, not with regionals coming. Everyone’s tired. Misty’s still trying to ice-wrap someone’s ankle. Van’s got a nosebleed she’s pretending isn’t a big deal. Music plays low from someone’s cracked Motorola on the bench. The speaker buzzes every time someone walks past it.
Shauna’s sitting on the floor in front of her open locker, bra strap twisted, cleats kicked off. She’s staring at the tiles like they’re a puzzle. She hasn’t said much since the party.
She hasn’t said much to Jackie in days.
Lottie’s beside her, towel around her shoulders, hair damp and curling near her temples. She hasn’t changed yet. She’s watching Shauna, but not in a way anyone would clock. Just casual. Just Lottie.
“You okay?” she asks.
Shauna shrugs. “Fine.”
Lottie raises a brow. “You sure?”
“Yeah,” Shauna says, a little too fast. Then, “I just don’t feel like dealing with her today.”
Lottie nods like she knows exactly who her is.
“Then don’t,” she says. “Let her come to you.”
Shauna snorts. “Jackie doesn’t come to anyone. You have to orbit her like a fucking moon.”
Lottie’s quiet for a moment. Then, “You know, we could keep hanging out. If you want.”
Shauna looks at her.
“I mean—no pressure,” Lottie continues. “We don’t have to make it a thing. We don’t even have to talk about it. If it helps. If it… distracts you.”
Shauna frowns. “What, like… casually?”
“Sure.”
“You want to hook up.”
“I want to help,” Lottie says, but she’s smiling now.
Shauna looks at the tile again. “Okay.”
Lottie leans back on her palms. “So… locker room today?”
Shauna glances around. There’s nobody close. Nat’s gone. Tai and Van are arguing quietly near the door. Misty’s disappeared to find more gauze.
“Yeah,” she says finally. “After everyone leaves.”
Lottie grins, but not in a mean way.
“Cool,” she says. “No big deal.”
Shauna nods. “No big deal.”
Neither of them notice the locker door a few feet down, cracked just slightly open.
Or the girl behind it.
Jackie holds her breath, crouched low, still in her cleats.
She hadn’t meant to stay behind. She was just grabbing her water bottle. That’s all. She was going to say something to Shauna. Maybe. Maybe not.
But now she’s frozen.
And she hears every word.
She waits until the silence returns—until Lottie gets up and walks down the row and Shauna follows, quiet, steady, no hesitation.
Then Jackie exhales.
And it burns.
⸻